New data reveals the games players require the most help with – Path of Exile crowned top

Revealed: The video games players find the most difficult – Path of Exile crowned top 

• New research has revealed Path of Exile is the most-searched-for title among gamers who need guides and walkthroughs to complete it 
• The findings follow an analysis of the most popular and replayed games, to reveal which titles players are having the most difficulty mastering 
• Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake is the easiest game to complete, while Stardew Valley is the second game that players are least likely to ever finish 

New data has revealed which video games players most need support to finish – with Path of Exile crowned the most difficult game to complete without help.

The research, conducted by online casino JeffBet, analysed Google searches for walkthroughs, guides and other help-related terms for 71 of this year’s most popular and most replayed games, to reveal which players are finding the most difficult to complete on their own.

The study also looked at how long players on average took to complete the games, the typical completion rate, how many players gave up on the games entirely – and why.

Released in 2013, Path of Exile is the game that players needed the most help completing, with an average of 129k monthly help-related searches – more than 130% higher than the searches made for the second most-difficult game, Hogwarts Legacy.

As well as being named the game that players most seek support with, playing Path of Exile is a real time investment, as – of the top 15 games players sought help with – it came out as the title with the longest completion time with over 680 hours put in by the typical player.

It’s no surprise that Path of Exile also has the lowest completion rate of the top 15, with only one in 10 players finishing it. Meanwhile, Stardew Valley came out as the next least-completed game, being finished by an average of one in four players (25%).

One in four people gave up on Path of Exile, making it the most retired game in the Top 15. Excitingly Path of Exile 2 is set to be released in 2024, letting players enjoy the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast all over.

Hogwarts Legacy, developed by Avalanche Software, was number two on the hardest-to-finish alone list.  Despite only being released in 2023, the game reports over 24k monthly help-related searches.

However, this help seems to pay off, as the Harry Potter RPG was the second-most completed, with nearly two-thirds (63%) of the players beating it. The figure is likely to increase, too, with only 3% of players having retired from the wizarding adventure so far.

Baldur’s Gate 3 ranked third as the game that gamers most seek assistance with, reporting over 21k monthly searches. Just over 2% of players have retired the Dungeons and Dragons inspired game, and less than one-third (30%) have completed it – and spent 138 hours doing so.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was fourth with over 17k monthly help-related searches. The latest edition to the Star Wars franchise takes players an average of 54 hours to complete.

Despite walkthroughs being in demand for Jedi: Survivor, the game had the second-lowest retirement rate of the top 15, with less than 1% of players giving up on it. It also had the third-highest completion rate at 57% – suggesting any support that gamers needed helped.

The most searched for walkthroughs

A JeffBet spokesperson commented on the findings saying: “Seeking help when playing a video game is nothing to be ashamed of. Many are designed to be challenging, but if you find yourself growing frustrated, remember that it’s meant to be an enjoyable experience and there are resources – like YouTube playthroughs and advice forums – that can help take the pressure off.

“It’s the perfect time of year to give a challenging or time-intensive game a go, as many of us are spending more time indoors due to unpredictable weather, so it’s worth keeping in mind your goals before selecting a title – do you want one you can complete, or just something that fills time?

“And even if you don’t need help navigating a particular game, watching walkthroughs can be helpful, not just with general guidance but also to help players obtain difficult collectibles, achievements or easily missed easter eggs.”